After our trip to Sam's Club got done faster than we thought we decided to take a ride to blow time and a trip to Cobden for pizza sounded like a plan.  As we're heading down there the Glue decided she'd rather go to Blue Boar and have some etouffee.  A trip through Giant City, a wrong turn somewhere and a trip through the countryside we got finally got there.
We decided to share some etouffee and some gumbo.  The etouffee came with a side salad and we ordered another one, both with house dressing.  The side salads and house dressing were real good but the gumbo and etouffee were disappointing.  Both could have been hotter but that wasn't the real issue, they just didn't hit the spot.  When we were finishing up the Glue happened to notice that there was a specials card on the side of the table and they had fried chicken which would have been both of our choices.  Oh well.
After going home to unload our stuff from Sam's we decided it was a nice day to go on a ride so we went or Hickory Ridge road and down through the scatters and Snake Road.  Apparently a lot of other people thought it would be a good day for a ride as we saw quite a few cars. 

The Glue and I had our first experience with bocce at the VFW last night.  We've debated having a team the last few years but never pulled the trigger.  Ex-super sub Fred called us to fill in for him and Cathy the new couple weeks and we figured it would be a good chance to try it out.  We played with Dave and Jane who we got to know some at old fart bocce on Tuesday mornings.
In the first game we started out slow falling behind 6-0 before we finally got on the scoreboard.  I couldn't adjust to the court and the smaller balls being used but the Glue threw pretty well for her first time.  We started to get rolling some and managed to tie the game 8-8.  I managed to get my first throw close but was edged out by less than an inch so it came down to my last throw which was my best looking ball of the game but it stopped just short and we lost 9-8.
Between games we tried out the bugers at the VFW which we'd talked about doing in the past.  The Glue got a cheeseburger and I got a double burger and fries.  The burgers were surprisingly good especially since my old classmate Ronnie was in the kitchen. 

Next time I'll probably downsize to the single and maybe try out the onion rings or mushrooms.
In the second game we took on one of our Wednesday night nemeses Muddy Rollers.  Once again we started slow falling behind 2-0 but me and the Glue put together our best frame of the night and got a three pointer.  We followed a couple single point frames and then with us showing two points and them out of balls Dave pushed the pallino back giving us three points.  Dave's last throw was anti climactic and we got four points and the win.
We both had a lot of fun and are looking forward to the season ending tournament next week.  There's a real good chance that we'll get a team going for next years season.

We've both been wanting fried chicken lately which isn't that easy to find at a place that also serves beer.  The Glue also wants mashed potatoes and gravy with her fried chicken which makes it harder still.  Making even harder is that we were looking for a new place to try out.  The weather was supposed to deteriorate as the day went on so we wanted some place that wasn't too far away and we decided on Wayward Pub in Sparta which we learned about in a bar in Willisville.
As we were pulling out of the driveway it started snowing but we decided to keep going as we could cut the trip short and go to Gabby's in Ava.  It ended up being just a few flurries so we went up to Sparta and when we got to the place it was nothing like either of us had envisioned.  It was in a mini-mall instead of being a hole in the wall type place.  We went in and the place wasn't very busy for the noon lunch time.  Looking around the place it appeared that the place couldn't decide if it was a bar or a restaurant.  We sat on the bar side which is our preference and it was obvious they weren't expecting much bar business since there wasn't a bartender.  They only had two drafts, Blue Moon and Ultra so I went with a Blue Moon while the Glue got a bottle.
I debated having the all you can eat fish special but ultimately we both decided to stick to the plan and order 1/4 fried chicken, all white meat.  I went with coleslaw and grilled broccoli while the Glue went with mashed potatoes and a side salad.  Not much to say about here salad except that the croutons were awesome.  The fried chicken was awesome, as good as we've had in a long time.  It was crispy on the outside with a hint of seasoning and very moist and tender on the inside (minds out of the gutter people).  My coleslaw was good as was the Glue's mashed potatoes and gravy but the broccoli was disappointing, overcooked and no seasoning on it.  The service was also good but the fried chicken topped everything.
The weather was holding so on the way back we stopped at the Broadway Corner Lounge in Willisville.  When we walked in the bartender said it had been a while since she'd seen us and it ended up being the lady the Glue had talked to when we were at Slammin Sammy's a little while back.  It was a nice place but we both preferred Sammy's.
I decided to then stop at Scratch on the way back but it was closed so we went on a ride by the spillway and Kinkaid.  This would have been a good stopping point but I decided we needed to go by Brews Brothers and Molly's Pint to finished the night which wasn't a good decision.

Yesterday we went to 618 Taphouse in Marion to have a late lunch/early supper kind of thing.   The Taphouse a nice outside area and they had a fire going in it but it was way too cold to sit there.  The inside seating area seems kind of long and narrow and has a very nice sized bar with 31 taps.
We both decided to try the Avalanche amber from Breckenridge Brewery.  The Taphouse has a limited menu and we discussed having a cuban or rueben before deciding on splitting an Italian beef and the sweet and spicy shrimp.  The Italian beef was good and what looked like a somewhat small sandwich turned out to be plenty.  Neither of us cared from the house chips which had a white cheese sauce dribbled over them.  The chips weren't warm and didn't have any seasoning that I could tell and we didn't care from the cheese sauce.
The shrimp were fried and came over a bed of cabbage with ginger dressing.  There were a lot more shrimp than I was expecting, I'd say at least 15.  The shrimp themselves weren't spicy but the dip that came with them had a little kick but nothing too spicy.  The shrimp were real good and the sauce was ok but I think I'd have like them better with cocktail sauce.  I really like the cabbage and I'm not an overly big ginger fan, it usually seems overpowering but this was quite good. 
While we were eating we both ordered a Budweiser Copper Lager which is one of our favorites right now.  Like most beers it's even better on tap but you don't see it much.  Just before leaving I went to the bathroom and when I got back there was a guy sitting in our booth.  I thought the Glue may have already left but she was still there.  He ended up being someone we know from the Glue's softball days.  We ended up talking to him long enough to have another beer and a really nice conversation.
I should mention that the waitress were very nice and would check to make sure everything was ok even if it wasn't their table.

The 2019 bocce season kicked off Tuesday with the annual meeting.  Probably the biggest part of the meeting is the election of board members for the coming year.  This year there wasn't an election as the previous board members were running unopposed.  Nothing against any of the board members as I think they did a fine job but it would have been nice seeing some more people nominated.
It was also announced that plans are underway to build a pavilion on the concrete pad on the west side.  This will help block the summer sun which is brutal to those of us who normally play on that side and also shines in players eyes on the other side.  It will also be a place to congregate and a better place to eat.
In conjunction with the pavilion it was announced that the MBC will be putting in a sound system to announce games which should speed up teams knowing they are playing.  It was again mentioned that the sound system can/will be capable of playing music which I don't think is a good idea.  Who's going to decide what kind of music and how loud and could limit conversation especially for those of us who don't hear well anyway.
In view of some incidents last year sportsmanship will be emphasized. 
That was pretty much the whole meeting, bring on the season.